Friday, March 23, 2007

I just stopped by my local Indian grocery store - Annapoorna, whose website I have just discovered and am happy to pitch, because the store has provided me no end of happiness - in search of the 70s classic Deewar. The alphabetizing gods were smiling today and I quickly found it and had a momentary burst of joy before realizing it was the 2004 one and grumpily shoving it back on the shelf.

Yes. You heard right. I was disappointed to find an Akshaye Khanna movie. This is what a budding love of Shashi Kapoor can do to a person. And anyway, I can't watch that Deewaar without Babasko - it wouldn't be right.

So instead I got Trishul. As I checked out my movie, I mentioned to the owner - I have got to ask him his name, but every time I think to do it I get panicked and shy - that I had just discovered Shashi and was excited to see this movie. "Oh yes," he said, "He is very good. Very good. His dancing was very good. But now...he has gotten fat, fat...." Ever quick to turn conversations away from comments that may harm one's body image, I laughed and said "He's earned it" on my way out the door.

Here's a picture from the website of Annapoorna's video section.What you see on the left, floor to ceiling, are the Tamil and Telegu titles - I thought Hindi film covers were bright and colorful until I saw these - and the Hindi films take up most of the set of shelves on the right side, and they wrap around to the third wall that's off the edge of the photo. Annapoorna has a much bigger selection of new relesases than the campustown independent video store, That's Rentertainment, which I also love and is probably the best video store in the whole world, especially because its catalog is online, but even during the university's spring break, Dhoom 2 and Salaam-e-Ishq were out. As much as I was tempted, I took a pass on the pirated VHS of Salaam-e-Ishq. Somebody gets crabby when I bring home things like that.

Ashley - it would be fun to do a survey of Indian grocery stores in the US about what movies they carry, who decides, etc.

Payal - yay, a Chambana person! Any reminiscing you want to do, you know where to find me :) It's funny, everyone I've ever met loves Rentertainment. Then again, what's not to love? Thanks for the comment!

my other filmi projects

Bong Along - a blog on vintage Bengali movies co-written by Indie Quill and me (and perhaps a few very friendly appearances by other friends as well).

Masala Zindabad - the podcast by Indie Quill and me, often featuring other writers and fans as guests. Masala Zindabad is an affectionate and thoughtful look at the broad range of themes that define Bollywood and make Bollywood defy definition. Available at iTunes.

Mysterious Order of the Skeleton Suit - the Agents of M.O.S.S. are a shadowy confederation of like-minded writers, broadcasters, creators, and jetsetters who have banded together in a bold mission to bring international intrigue and pop entertainment to the masses. Can anyone stand in the way of their diabolical schemes?

pragmatics

Text (c) 2005–2015, Beth Watkins. The ideas and opinions expressed in this site are mine alone unless otherwise attributed. They do not necessarily represent the views of my employer or of any other organization or website with which I may be associated.